Method and apparatus for pumping



Jan. 29, 1957 Filed Dec. 9, 1953 K. R. LUNG METHOD AND APPARATUS FORPUMPING 2 Shets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

KENNETH R. LUNG BY f ATTORNEYS Jan. 29, 1957 K. R. LUNG 2,779,293

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PUMPING Filed Dec. 9, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 5OvLg/ve/ssh/ 1Q FIG-538 l KENNETH R. L-UNG BY TM 5- 7W ATTORNEYS2,779,293 Patented Jan. 29, 1957 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PUMPINGApplication December 9, 1953, Serial No. 397,220

10 Claims. (Cl. 103-118) This invention relates to a method andapparatus for pumping, and particularly to a novel combination pumpmotorand a method of utilizing the pump-motor for pumping liquids,particularly for pumping wells.

The usual pumping arrangement for pumping a deep well consists of a jetpump located within the well, the jet pump preferably being submerged inthe water in the well, with the jet pump discharging into a conduitleading to the suction side of a pump located above the ground, usuallya centrifugal pump, and with a portion ofthe discharge of thecentrifugal pump being utilized for supplying the nozzle of the jetpump.

According to the present invention, the necessity for providing a jetpump in combination with a pump above the ground in connection with thepumping of deep wells is eliminated. According to this invention, thereis provided, instead, a combination pump-motor, which is energized bypressure fluid from the discharge side of the pump above the ground, andwhich discharges this same fluid together with additional fluid drawnfrom the well to the inlet side of the pump above the ground.

The construction of the pump-motor according to this invention, and theoperation thereof, are simple, and a distinct advantage exists in thatno adjustment thereof is required to accommodate the pumping combinationto varying water levels in a well, because the combination pump-motor isself-adjusting and accommodates itself to any water level.

This invention and the advantages thereof will become more apparent uponreference to the following description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view showing a well pumping installationarranged according to my invention;

Figure 2 is a view showing the combination pumpmotor which is located inthe well casing of Figure 1 looking up from the bottom thereof asindicated by the line 2-2 of Fig. 4;

Figure 3 is a view like Figure 2 except looking down on top of thepump-motor as indicated by the line 3-3 of Fig. 4;

.Figure 4 is a sectional view, indicated by line 4-4 on Figure 2; j pFigure 5 is a composite longitudinal section taken through the pumpshowing all of the ports therein;

Figure 6 is a sectional view, indicated by line 6-6 on Figure 3;

Figure 7 is a sectional view, indicated by line 7,-7 on Figure 6,showing a port plate located inside the end cover of the pump-motorcombination;

Figure 8 is a perspective view showing the inside of one of the endcovers; and

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic sectional view which'illustrates the mannerin which the device operates.

Referring to the drawings somewhat more in detail, there is shown inFigure l a pumping installation comprising a well casing Nextendingdownwardly into waternited States Patent Oflice bearing strata at 12.Located in the casing near the bottom thereof is a unit 14 according tothis invention, and which is a combination pump-motor having a suctioninlet communicating with the water in the well via the screen 16 and apressure inlet to which fluid under pressure is supplied through aconduit 18, and also having a discharge opening through which the fluidsupplied through conduit 18 and the fluid drawn in through the suctioninlet is discharged into a conduit 20.

Conduit 20 leads upwardlyto outside the well casing and is connected,with the inlet side of a pump 22 which may be a centrifugalpump having adrive motor 24. The discharge sideof pump 22 is connected by a conduit26 to a storage tank 28. Conduit 26 advantageously includes a pressure,regulating valve mechanism 30 which may' be automatic in nature, orwhichmay comprise merely a fixed restrictor, whereby a predetermined minimumpressure is maintained at the discharge side of pump 22 when hisoperating, and which pressure is availed of for driving fluid throughconduit 18 which is connected with conduit 26 on the upstream side ofvalve 30. r

The unit 14, as will be seen in Figures 3 through 8, comprises a body 32having spaced inwardly extending ribs 34 which closely embrace acylindrical sleeve 36 extending substantially the length of the body.The opposite ends of body 32 are closed by the end covers 38 at thebottom ofunit 14 and 40 at the top thereof, with through bolts42extending through bores in the ribs 34 interconnecting the covers andholding them in position.

Each of the covers 38-and 40 comprises three circumferentially spaceinternal rib portions 44, 46, and 48, that extend inwardly and connectwith a hub portion 50. Each, hub portion 50 has mounted therein a sleevebearing 52 that receives the ends of the shaft 54. As will be seen inFigs; 2 and 3, the shaft 54 is supported eccentrically of the cylindersleeve 36. Shaft 54 internally of the cylinder sleeve supports aslotted. rotor 56 having vanes 58 in the slots thereof that bear on theinner surface of cylinder sleeve 36.

Disposed between the opposite ends of rotor 56 and the inner surfaces ofribs 44, 46, and 48 of the covers 38 and 40 are the port plates 60inside cover 38 and 62 inside cover 40. Each of the port plates alsoengages the opposite ends of cylindersleeve 36. At this point, it willbe apparent that the described arrangement is that of a vane type pumpor motor in which chambers are defined between the rotor and cylindersleeve by the vanes, and which chambers expand during 180 of rotation ofthe rotor and contract during the other 180 of movement.

It will also be evident that the inside of each cover outside of theport plate 60 and 62 is, divided into three compartments by the ribs 44,46 and 48. These ribs are so located that the large compartment betweenthe ribs 44 and 48, indicated at 64, and which extends over about 180,is locatedjover the zone where the chambers between the vanes of theunit are contracting. The compartment formed between the ribs 44 and 46,indicated at 66, is located over the zone where the said chambersbetween the vanes are commencing to expand, while the chamber locatedbetween the ribs 46 and 48, indicated at 68, is located over that zonewhere the said chambers completetheir expanding movement.

As will readily be perceived from Figures 2 through 7,

, the spaces inside the body 32 between the said ribs 34 thereofprovidemeans for hydraulically connecting the pertaining chamberswithinthe opposite end covers.

Each of the port plates 60 and 62 is provided with ports therein topermit communication of the compartments within the covers with thechambers about the rotor 56 arrange formed between the vanes 58. Theseports are the same for both of the port plates, and those associatedwith port plate 60 are indicated in Figure 7. These ports take the formof notches in the periphery of the plate and consist of a first portnotch 70 which communicates with compartments 68 in the end covers. Thenext port notch, proceeding counterclockwise about the port plate 60, isidentified at 72 and communicates with the compartments 66 in the endcovers. The port plate comprises two further port notches 74 and 76which communicate with compartments 64 of the end covers.

Referring now to Figures 2 through 6, it will be perceived that lowercover 38 is provided with a threaded port 78 communicating withcompartment 66 to which is connected the suction pipe leading tostrainer 16. It will also be observed that top cover 40 has a firstthreaded port 80 which is connected with pressure conduit 18, and whichcommunicates with compartment 68, and a second threaded port 82 to whichis connected conduit 20, and which port communicates with compartment64.

In operation, when pressure fluid is supplied through conduit 18 to theinterconnected compartments 68 in the opposite end covers of the device,this pressure fluid will pass through the notches 70 into the chambersbetween the vanes of the rotor and drive the rotor in rotation,specifically, in a counterclockwise direction as it is viewed in Figure7. As the rotor turns, the chambers referred to will expand, and wheneach chamber has turned to the point where it communicates with notch72, the said expansion of the chambers will create a suction which willbe communicated through the notches 72 to the compartments 68 of the endcovers, and therefrom through threaded port 78 to strainer 16, andwithdraw fluid from the well.

Further rotation of the rotor will bring the chambers past the centerpoint, where they will commence to contract, and at which time they willcommunicate with the notches 74 and 76 that open into compartments 64that are connected with port 82, which leads to conduit 20. Thus, all ofthe fluid supplied to the unit 14 through conduit 18, and all of thefluid drawn into the unit through strainer 16, is discharged intoconduit leading to the suction side of the pump 22 to be dischargedtherefrom at increased pressure into conduit 26.

This cycle of operations of unit 14 will be apparent from thediagrammatic illustration of Figure 9. In order to keep the vanes 58urged outwardly into sealing engagement with the cylinder sleeve 36, theport plates 60 and 62 are provided on their inside faces with theannular notches 90 in the region of the bottoms of the vane slots, oneextending over the zone where the pumping chambers are expanding, andthe other over the zone where the said chambers are contracting. Thesenotches, as will be seen in Figures 6 and 7, have openings therein,

as at 92 and 94. The opening 92 opens into compartment 68 so thatpressure fluid in compartment 68 will stand in the notch associated withopening 92 and urge the vanes outwardly.

Similarly, the openings 94 communicate with the chambers 64, therebysupplying pressure fluid to the bottoms of the vane slots during thetime the chambers about the rotor are contracting, thus not onlymaintaining the vanes pressed outwardly against the cylinder ring 36,but, likewise, relieving the vane slots of fluid therein as the vanesmove inwardly in the slots.

Each port plate is preferably provided with a drilled hole, as indicatedat 96, for receiving a dowel pin 98 in the adjacent rib in the adjacentend cover, whereby once the unit is assembled, the port plates are heldfixedly in position.

It will be apparent that while I have shown the chambers of the vanedunit as being connected with a source of pressure during the initialhalf of their expansion, and with the source of fluid to be pumpedduring the final half of their expansion, these proportions could bechanged and pressure could be supplied during more or less than half theexpansion, and the chambers utilized for pumping during the remainder ofthe expansion period. Also, the pressure could be supplied to theexpanding chambers during the final portion of the expansion thereof,and the initial expansion of the chambers utilized for pumping, ifdesired.

Similarly, while the vaned unit of this invention is disclosed as anarrangement for pumping Water Wells, it could also be employed forpumping other fluids as well and would lend itself readily to variousother usages, such as a proportioning mechanism wherein two fluids wereto be mixed, and in which one fluid could form the motive power fordriving the hydraulic unit and the other fluid to be admixed therewithwould be drawn into the unit by suction and discharge from the unittogether with the motive fluid.

It will be understood that this invention is susceptible to modificationin order to adapt it to different usages and conditions, and,accordingly, it is desired to comprehend such modifications within thisinvention as may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a combination pump-motor unit, a cylinder, a rotor eccentricallymounted in said cylinder; vanes in said rotor dividing the space betweenit and said cylinder into a plurality of pumping chambers which expandduring of rotation of said rotor and contract during the other 180 ofrotation of said rotor; a casing surrounding said cylinder; end coverson said casing and closing the end of said cylinder; partition means insaid end covers dividing th space between each end cover into a firstcompartment communicating with said chambers during the initialexpansion thereof, a second compartment communicating with said chambersduring the remainder of the expansion thereof, and a third compartmentcommunicating with said chambers during the contraction thereof; passagemeans in said unit connecting the first, second, and third compartmentsin one cover with the first, second, and third compartments,respectively, in the other cover; and port means in said coverscommunicating with said compartments.

2. In a combination pump-motor unit, a cylinder; a rotor eccentricallymounted within said cylinder; vanes in the rotor bearing on the cylinderand dividing the space between the rotor and the cylinder into aplurality of pumping chambers; a casing surrounding said cylinder; endcovers secured to said casing; a shaft supporting said rotor andjournaled in said end covers; port plates at the end of said cylinderimmediately inside said covers; said port plates having first notchmeans communicating the said chambers during the initial expansionthereof, second notch means communicating with said chambers during theremainder of the expansion thereof, and third notch means communicatingwith said chambers during the contraction thereof; said end covers beingprovided with axially aligned paritions engaging said port platesbetween the said notch means and dividing each end cover into a firstcompartment communicating with said first notch means, a secondcompartment communicating with said second notch means, and a thirdcompartment communicating wtih said third notch means; ports in said endcovers opening into said compartments; and passage means in said casinginterconnecting the first, second, and third compartments of one coverwith the first, second, and third compartments, respectively, of theother cover.

3. In a combination pump-motor unit, a cylinder; a rotor eccentricallymounted within said cylinder; vanes in the rotor bearing on the cylinderand dividing the space between the rotor and the cylinder into aplurality of pumping chambers; a casing surrounding said cylinder; endcovers secured to said casing; a shaft supporting said rotor andjournaled in said end covers; port plates at the end of said cylinderimmediately inside said covers; said port plates having first notchmeans communicating the said chambers during the initial expansionthereof, second notch means communicating with said chambers during theremainder of the expansion thereof, and third notch means communicatingwith said chambers during the contraction thereof; said end covers beingprovided with axially aligned partitions engaging said port platesbetween the said notch means and dividing each end cover into a firstcompartment communicating with said first notch means, a secondcompartment communicating with said second notch means, and a thirdcompartment communicating with said third notch means; ports in said endcovers opening into said compartments; passage means in said casinginterconnecting the first, second, and third compartments of one coverwith the first, second, and third compartments, respectively, of theother cover; at least one of said port plates being provided with groovemeans on the inside face thereof communicating with the slots in therotor beneath the vanes therein; one of said groove means beingconnected with said first compartment; and the other of said groovemeans connected with said third compartment.

4. In a combination pump-motor unit, a cylinder; a rotor eceentricallymounted within said cylinder; vanes in the rotor bearing on the cylinderand dividing the space between the rotor and the cylinder into aplurality of pumping chambers; a casing surrounding said cylinder; endcovers secured to said casing; a shaft supporting said rotor andjournaled in said end covers; port plates at the end of said cylinderimmediately inside said covers; said port plates having first notchmeans communicating the said chambers during the initial expansionthereof, second notch means communicating with said chambers during theremainder of the expansion thereof, and third notch means communicatingwith said chambers during the contraction thereof; said end covers beingprovided with axially aligned partitions engaging said port platesbetween the said notch means and dividing each end cover into a firstcompartment communicating with said first notch means, a secondcompartment communicating with said second notch means, and a thirdcompartment communicating with said third notch means; ports in said endcovers opening into said compartments; passage means in said casinginterconnecting the first, second, and third compartments of one coverwith the first, second, and third compartments, respectively, of theother cover; one of said port plates being provided with twosubstantially semicircular groove means on the inside face thereofcommunieating with the spaces beneath the vanes in said rotor; one ofsaid groove means being connected with said first compartment; and theother of said groove means being connected with said third compartment.

5. A combined pump and motor comprising a housing including a cylinder,a rotor of smaller diameter than said cylinder mounted for rotationtherein on an axis eccentric to the axis of said cylinder, a pluralityof vanes carried by said rotor for rotation therewith and radial movement therein in maintained contact with said cylinder to definetherewith a plurality of sector shaped pumping chambers each adapted toexpand during one portion of a complete revolution of said rotor and tocontract during the remainder of such revolution, means for supplyingpressure liquid to successive said chambers while each said chamber isexpanding from minimum volume to an intermediate volume to causecontinued rotation of said rotor, means for disconnecting eachsuccessive chamber from said liquid supplying means and then connectingsuccessive said chambers to a supply of liquid to be pumped during theremainder of the expansion of said chamber to cause said liquid to bedrawn into successive said chambers and mixed with said pressure liquidtherein, and means for disconnecting each successive said chamber fromsaid supply of liquid at substantially the maximum volume thereof andthen connecting said chamber to a discharge line to cause said mixedliquid to be discharged 6 from said cylinder during contraction'ofsuccessive said chambers.

6. A combined pump and motor comprising a housing including a cylinder,a rotor of smaller diameter than said cylinder mounted for rotationtherein on an axis eccentric to the axis of said cylinder, a. pluralityof vanes carried by said rotor for rotation therewith and radialmovement therein in maintained contact with said cylinder to definetherewith a plurality of sector shaped pumping chambers each adapted toexpand during one portion of a complete revolution of said rotor and tocontract during the remainder of such revolution, pressure port meansfor causing rotation of said rotor by supplying pressure liquid tosuccessive said chambers while each said chamber is expanding fromminimum volume to an intermediate volume, suction port means arranged todisconnect each successive chamber from said pressure port means andthen to connect said chamber to a supply of liquid to be pumped duringthe remainder of the expansion of said chamber to cause said liquid tobe drawn into said chamber and mixed with said pressure liquid therein,and discharge port means arranged to disconnect each successive saidchamber from said suction port means during contraction of said chamberto cause said mixed liquid to be discharged from said cylinder.

7. A combined pump and motor comprising a housing including :a cylinder,a rotor of smaller diameter than said cylinder mounted for rotationtherein on an axis eccentric to the axis of said cylinder :and having aplurality of radially arranged slots in the outer surface thereof, aplurality of vanes carried by said rotor slots for rotation with saidrotor and radial movement in said slots in maintained contact with saidcylinder to define therewith a plurality of sector shaped pumpingchambers each adapted to expand during one portion of a completerevolution of said rotor and to contract during the remainder of suchrevolution, pressure port means for causing rotation of said rotor bysupplying pressure liquid to successive said chambers while each saidchamber is expanding from minimum volume to an intermediate volume,suction port means arranged to disconnect each successive chamber fromsaid pressure port means and then to connect said chamber to a supply ofliquid to be pumped during the remainder of the expansion of saidchamber to cause said liquid to be drawn into said chamber and mixedwith said pressure liquid therein, discharge port means arranged todisconnect each successive said chamber from said suction port meansduring contraction of said chamber to cause said mixed liquid to bedischarged from said cylinder, and means for connecting the interior ofsuccessive said slots with said pressure port means during expansion ofthe associated said chambers and with said discharge port means duringcontraction of said chambers to maintain said vanes in said contact withsaid cylinder While relieving said slots of fluid therein during inwardmovement of the associated said vanes.

8. A combined pump and motor comprising a housing including a cylinder,a rotor of smaller diameter than said cylinder mounted for rotationtherein on an axis eccentric to the axis of said cylinder, a pluralityof vanes carried by said rotor for rotation therewith. and radialmovement therein in maintained contact with said cylinder to definetherewith a plurality of sector shaped pumping chambers each adapted toexpand during one portion of :a complete revolution of said rotor and tocontract during the remainder of such revolution, a plurality of portslocated at angularly spaced positions around said cylinder forcommunication in succession with each of said chamhers during eachrevolution of said rotor, the first said port means being located tocommunicate with each successive chamber while said chamber is expandingfrom minimum volume to an intermediate volume and being adapted to causerotation of said rotor by supplying pressure liquid to said successiveexpanding chambers, the

next said port means being spaced to communicate with each successivesaid chamber following movement of said chamber out of communicationwith said first port means during further expansion of said chamber andthen to connect said chamber to a supply of liquid to be pumped to causesaid liquid to be drawn into said chamber and mixed with said pressureliquid therein, and the remainder of said port means being dischargeport means spaced to communicate with each successive said chamberduring contraction of said chamber to cause said mixed liquid to bedischarged from said cylinder.

9. A combined pump and motor comprising a housing, a cylinder in saidhousing, partitions cooperating with said cylinder to define in saidhousing a pair of intake compartments and a discharge compartment, arotor of smaller diameter than said cylinder mounted for rotationtherein on an axis eccentric to the axis of said cylinder, a pluralityof vanes carried by said rotor for rotation therewith and radialmovement therein in maintained contact with said cylinder to definetherewith a plurality of sector shaped pumping chambers each adapted toexpand during one portion of a complete revolution of said rotor and tocontract during the remainder of such revolution, means for connectingthe first said intake compartment with a supply of pressure liquid,pressure port means spaced to connect each successive said cham- Withsaid first intake compartment while each said chamber is expanding fromminimum volume to an intermediate volume to cause rotation of said rotorby supplying pressure liquid to successive said expanding chambers,means for connecting the second said intake compartment with a supply ofother liquid to be pumped, suction port means arranged to disconnecteach successive chamber from said pressure port means and then toconnect said chamber to said second intake compartment during theremainder of the expansion of said chamber to cause said other liquid tobe drawn into said chamber and mixed with said pressure liquid therein,and discharge port means arranged to disconnct each successive saidchamber from said suction port means during contraction of said chamberand to connect said chamber with said discharge compartment to causesaid mixed liquid to be discharged from said cylinder.

10. A combined pump and motor comprising a housing, a cylinder in saidhousing, partitions cooperating with said cylinder to define in saidhousing a pair of intake compartments and a discharge compartment, arotor of smaller diameter than said cylinder mounted for rotationtherein on an axis eccentric to the axis of said cylinder and having aplurality of radially arranged slots in the outer surface thereof, aplurality of vanes carried by said rotor slots for rotation with saidrotor and radial movement in said slots in maintained contact with saidcylinder to define therewith a plurality of sector shaped pumpingchambers each adapted to expand during one portion of a completerevolution of said rotor and to contract during the remainder of suchrevolution, means for connecting the first said intake compartment witha supply of pressure liquid, pressure port means spaced to connect eachsuccessive said chamber with said first intake compartment while eachsaid chamber is expanding from minimum volume to an intermediate volumeto cause rotation of said rotor by supplying pressure liquid tosuccessive said expanding chamber, means for connecting the second saidintake compartment with a supply of other liquid to be pumped, suctionport means arranged to disconnect each successive chamber from saidpressure port means and then to connect said chamber to said secondintake compartment during the remainder of the expansion of said chamberto cause said other liquid to be drawn into said chamber and mixed withsaid pressure liquid therein, discharge port means arranged todisconnect each successive said chamber from said suction port meansduring contraction of said chamber and to connect said chamber with saiddischarge compartment to cause said mixed liquid to be discharged fromsaid cylinder, and means for connecting the interior of successive saidslots with said first said intake compartment during expansion of theassociated said chambers with said discharge compartment means duringcontraction of said chambers to maintain said vanes in said contact withsaid cylinder while relieving said slots of fluid therein during inwardmovement of the associated said vanes.

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